Railway-train.



. APPLICATION FILED APR. 14, I915. -1,15Q,%L

C. THERYC.

RAILWAY TRAIN.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Figtt e t 1 D t a WA I M A :l. l:

e P e l NVENTUF; 62w! 72/67)? E1 $041 WWW ATTUF NEY COLUMBIA PLANDORAPHco wAsmNcToN. D. C.

Patented Sept. 7, 1915.

C. THERYC.

RAILWAY TRAIN.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 14. 1915.

LIQAM. Patentedfiefit. 7, 1915.

' 2 SHEETS-'SHEET 2.

CHARLES THERYC, 01* MARSEILLE, FRr'iNGE.

RAILWAY-TRAIN.

Application filed April 14,

To all t :hom it may concern Be it known that l, CrIAnLns THERYO, acitizen of the Republic of France, and resident of line de lalslepublique 16, Marseille, France, have invented a new and useful llailwayl rain, which railway-train is fully set forth in the followingspecification.

This invention relates to a sliding railway train, the cars of whichare'provided with runners under which acts a cushion ooinpr .ssed airwhich, by balancing the weight of the said cars,,enables them to be keptsuspended and towed by the exercise of a very small traction effort,that is to say under very advantageous conditions. This traction effortcould be obtained by means of a motor of any desired kind.

At the Paris exhibition of 1889, there was working a sliding train on atrack 150 meters long, in which the runners of the cars were held insuspension on a layer of water under a pressureo't 1.8 kg. As on rising,the runner formed with its circumference a discharge cross seetion of0.0008 sq. 111., the loss oi? water would ordinarily have been 15.117liters with free escape, in accordance with the formula But it wasreduced to an average of 0.963 liter by a series of four grooves formedin the bottom face of the runner, producing an eddy retarding the flowand reducing it to a coellicient of 0.0637. ltwas thus found that theloss of fluid became 15.66 times less than with the free flow, owing tothe said series of four grooves, and that the pressure corresponding tothe said final loss of air was only 0.0072 kg. or 250 times less thanthat of 1.8 kg. which was maintained constant in the interior of therunner. It will be therefore necessary to reduce this loss of fluidstill further, by increasing the number of grooves. v

By replacing water by compressed air, the loss of air, under the samepressure and through the same cross-section provided with grooves, willbenefit by the same reductions in the proportions determined by the lawof Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. *7, 1%15. 1215. Serial No. 21,378.

respective flow of these two fluids, that is to say I 1/ i for water,and

for air.

But the runner of 1889 had a very serious drawback. The counter-pressureof the outside air forced back, which was negligible at such aninsignificant speed of the demonstration train, would become very largeat high speeds, and the said air, rushing under the runners, would sweepthe fluid contained in the grooves at such small pressures, destroyingor seriously affecting the working of the system.

The device forming the subjectof the present invention is, on thecontrary, characterized by the fact that instead of suffering from thesaid drawbacks, they are utilized,

and the said counter-pressure due to the outside air, can evenbeincreased in order to surround, balance and maintam at ,a constantpressure the air contained under the grooves, instead Off expelling itfrom the same, and to reduce by so much the work to be performed by thecompressor.

Other details of the invention will appear from the followingdescription.

In order to make the following explanation as clear as possible, theaccompanying drawings show, by way of example:

' Figure 1 a longitudinal section of the runner, Fig. 2 crosssection online C-C of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 a partial side elevation of the runner, Fig.1 a horizontal section on line AA of Fig. 1, Fig. 5 a longitudinalsection of an improved construction of the runner.

In the bottom face of the runner a are provided grooves b b, 0, cl, andbetween the series of inner grooves Z2, 6 and of the outer grooves 0 (Z,is inserted a set of counterpressure devices intended to force backtheoutside air at a certain pressure, and to send it under the runners, assoon as the train is Started. This starting is effected by deliver- 2bearing can r sraised or,

is movable about. a spindle f bearings, pressure I so identical manner,

centric with the spindle f, the

ing into the interior of the pressed air which, by passing branch 9connected to a compressor,

' each of the sides of the runner comthrough the causes the rising ofthe runner to an extent suffi cient to bring it out of contact with itssliding platform, thus reducing the work of the tractor to a very smallefiort.

The counterpressure devices comprise spindles provided with blades 3),situated one in front, another at the back and one at runner. The front(see Figs. 1 and 2) and rotates in or chamber 0. The spindle f passesthrough thewalls of the runner and rotates in a bearing h (Figs. 2 and3) arranged at each side outside the walls in question. The said bearingis adjustable in a vertical guide which allows it a play ofa fewmillimeters, so that the counter-pressure remain in place when therunner on the contrary, descends on its sliding track. -Thesemi-cylindrical upper 'portionof the chamber. a has moreover for thesame purpose a slightly larger radius than the lower portion. Finally, apowerful spring 21 (Fig. 3) presses on each of the in order to insurethe counterdevice being held against the sliding track, as soon as thevehicle starts. The driving ofthe said counter-pressure device isinsured by the wheel 70 which is mounted at the end of the spindle f andruns on a railintended for the tractor (Fig. 2, left counter-pressuredevice a cylindrical space hand portion). As shown on the right handside in the same figure,

the driving could also be insured from the interior of the runmeans ofwheels Z sliding platform. The'front counter-pressure device is thusoperated in the direction of travel of the vehicle, and if the rearcounter-pressure device were arranged in an it is clear that it wouldrotate in the same direction and consequentlyhave the tendency todischargethe air backward and outward. For that reason, the said rearcounter-pressure device, I rotatable about'the spindle f,

opposite direction. To th.t end, its blades can be for instance mountedon a sleeve con- ,being'driven from thespindle f by a simtoothed wheels.

I to

" ple set .of toothed wheels which has not been shown so as not tocomplicate the drawings; the latter shows merely, on the inner face ofthe runner, the points y j where the movement of thesleeve will bereversed by the Fig. 4c shows thatthe runner is provided with two othercounter-pressure devices arranged at a right angle to the precedingones, one on thelright, and the other on the left of the runner- Thesecounter-pressure devices consist, like the preceding ones, of

bearing on the rotates in the said sleeve spindles with blades, and aredriven by means of bevel pinions, so as to force the air inward. Inorder to facilitate their driving, each of the said side devices isdivided into two sections: the spindle f drives the spindle sections fF, while the spindle f drives the spindle sections 7 f through theagency of inter-meshing bevel pinions y and e. These spindles preferablyrun on balls in openings formed in the walls a n of cylindricalchambers, in which latter the blades on said spindles are disposed, saidwalls being made integral with the runner and serving, therefore, tostrengthen the same. Assuming for instance, that the air sent at thestart into the runner, has to be regulated and maintained at thepressure of 1.8 kg, the driver, after the train has started, will stopthe supply of air to the runner througl the pipe 9 (such air coming fromthe compressor installed on the tractor), and it will be thecounter-pressure devices hereinbefore described, after force beneath thegrooves of the runner, the volume of air required in order to incloseand maintain within the interior of the runner, the cushion ofcompressed air at 1.8 kg.

As will be seen from the foregoing, the said interior pressure ismaintained at 1.8 kg, while it is reduced to 0.0072 kg. at the outlet ofthe grooves, so that the eifort to be exercised by the counter-pressuredevices, for balancing and completely avoiding the escipe of air will bevery small. It will be even necessary, by the following means, to avoida forcing back of air increasing the pressure under the runner. Eachrunner is connected by its pipe 9 to a collector terminating at thecompressor installed on the tractor. In the same way, thecounter-pressure devices of each runner are connected to a collectorterminating at the tractor. Each of the two collectors is provided withan indicating pressure gage, so that the driver can adjust and maintainthe necessary equilibrium between the two compression systems. He willthus be able to vary, according to the requirements, the pressure of theair supplied by the compressor, or by the counter-pressure devices, byopening, throttling or closing an air discharge opening suitablyarranged on each of the two collectors. The said regulation could beeven efieeted by any suitable automatic mechanism.

In order to stop the train, the driver merely has to discharge the airfrom the runners, by opening fully the pressure regulation openingprovided on the compressed air collector connected to the conduits g ofthe runners, and the train will drag on its sliding track; this givesthe simplest and the most perfect kind of braking, bringing about thestoppage within a length three or four times smaller than that requiredwith the brakes at present employed which moreover are expensive andeasily get out of order. It is true that these runners may wear out, butexperience has shown that this wear is slight, since the runners of thesliding railway of the Paris exhibition of 1889 merely wear out onlyafter more than four thousand stops. Moreover, the replacing ofdetachable grooved bases of the runners, would mean a very smallexpense.

The height to which the runner sliding on water in 1889, was raised, wasmerely one millimeter at the outside. It would be advisable to increasethe height to which the runner is raised, when traveling at higherpressures, but in. such case a free exhaust space would he producedbelow the zone controlled by the grooves of the runners, and in that waya considerable loss of air would follow.

The device shown in Fig. 5 has for its hject to remedy the drawbackinquestion .y adopting a supplementary series of rooves performing anintermittent service. his device is as follows: lln the. roof of thesliding runner is provided a cylinder at in which travels a piston 0,the rod of which is connected to a disk Between the upper face of thepiston and the top wall of the cylinder, are arranged springs r of anykind, adjusted so as to yield at a given pressure, according to theheight to which it is desired that the runner should be raised. On theother hand, a movable frame ,9, provided with grooves and normally heldraised by suitably arranged springs t, is operated by the disk r and bymeans of its arms u and of the levers o, in such a manner that at agiven compression for which the runner is raised, the movable frame s islowered proportionately and replaces the action of the grooves F) Z) and0 (Z raised together with the runner. The bottom portion of the saidframe is also provided either with grooves, or n'eforably, with a largenumber of blades only two of the faces of m. Fig. 5 shows the said framefront and back), but it will be easy to imagine the arrangement of thetwo lateral faces identical with the preceding ones, operated in thesame manner by other arms on the disk (7 identical with the arms shownin the figure. It goes without saying that this device is given merelyby way of example, as one of the possible means for controlling oroperating the movable frame 8. The blades and other parts of thecounter-pressure devices are adjusted so as to ha e the least possibleclearance and these slight intervals are provided with grooves orrecesses in order to reduce to a minimum secondary losses of air.

The inventor expressly reserves to himself the right to use his systemfor transport of considerable and indi visible weights such as, forinstance, that of ships, and to use to that end several series ofparallel sliding platforms. He also reserves to himself the ri ht to useunder the runner an other fluid in place of air.

' The inventor reserves to himself to control the runners exclusively bythe compressor installed on the tractor, by supply to them, through theconduit 9 compressed air, the escape of which is reduced by the twoseries of grooves 72, b, and 0, (Z, and by limiting the use of thecounter-pressure devices for thepurpose of strengthening the action ofthe grooves by a forcing back of the air at a small pressure.

The chief importance of the invention consists in carrying out in apractical manner the traction of a train on a cushion of captivecompressed air, the resistance to slidin becoming thus infinitely smallcompared to that already so small of sliding on water, already proved.It follows that the effort of and the expense for, traction are thusredu :ed in. very considerable proportions, com pared to the presenttnction.

The secondary advantages of the system are also of great importance:Besides the above mentioned ideal braking, the sliding railwayconstruction described in the fore-- going, makes it possible to use forthe propulsion owing to the small traction effort required, engines ofcomparatively small power, namely engines working air propellers. ltinsures very high speeds, without noise, without vibrations, etc. It isparticularly applicable to the working of lines with many inclines andwith curves of very small radius,.the suppression of wheels and thelowering of the center of gravity reducing the action of centrifugalforce, and in any case it gives the best conditions for an economicworking, both from the point of View of the first-cost and of the upkeepof permanent way and rolling stock.

Claims: i

1. In a sliding railway train, a car provi'ded with a runner having aninner chamber receiving compressed air for the purpose o. raising thecar and permitting it to be slidingly propelled, and also havingsupporting surfaces provided with grooves; an

a1r counter-pressure device connected to said runner exterior to saidchamber and acting for the purpose of surrounding, balancing andmaintaining at a constant pressure the compressed air contained in saidchamber; and means for driving the counter-pressure device by themovement of the car.

2. In a sliding railway train, car provided with a runner having aninterior chamber receiving compressed air for the purpose of raising thecar and permitting it to be slidingly propelled,

&

and rotating in cylindrical chambers in the runner,1-each spindle beingprovided with blades; and means for driving the said spindies by themovement of the car.

3. In a sliding railway train, a car provided with a runner having aninner chamber receivin compressed air for the purpose of raising tie carand permitting it to be slidingly propelled, and also having supportingsurfaces provided with grooves; an a1r counter-pressure device connectedto said runner exterior to said chamber and acting for the purpose ofsurrounding, balancing and mainta ning at a constant pressure thecompressed'air contained 1n said chamber;

a device for sdrivingthe counter-pressure device by'the movement of thevehicle; an 1ntermittently-acting movable frame mountec to extend aroundthe said runner and vided with grooves; and mechanical connectionsbetween the said frame and the said runner, acting to, operate the saidframe when the said runner is raised.

4:. In a sliding railway train, a car provided with a runner having aninner chamber receiving compressed air for the purpose of raisingslidingly propelled, and also having supthe car and permitting it to beporting surfaces provided with grooves; a set of bladed spindles mountedone in front, another'at the back and one at each side of the runner androtating in-cylindrical chambars in the runner, each spindle beingprovided with blades; means for driving the said spindles by themovement of the car; an intermittently-acting movable frame mounted toextend around the said runner and provided with grooves; and mechancialconnections between the said movable frame and the said runner, actingso as to operate the said frame when the said runner is raised.

5. In a sliding railway train, a car pro vided with a runner having aninner chamber receiving compressed air for the purpose of raising thecar and permitting it to be slidingly propelled, and also havingsupporting surfaces provided with grooves; a set of spindles mounted onein front, one at the back and one at each side of the runner, eachspindle being provided with blades; means for driving the said spindlesby the movement of the car; an intermittently movable frame mounted toextend around said runner and provided with grooves; arms on said frame;a cylinder mounted upon the top of said runner; a piston movable in saidcylinder; a disk secured to the rod of the said piston; and hingedlevers in contact at one end with the said disk and operatively engagedat the other end with said arms.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES TI-IERYO.

Witnesses ALLAN MACFARLANE, PAUL H. CRAM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

- 1 Washington, D. G.

